Delaware vehicle bill of sale

Fill in the free Delaware bill of sale on this page and print it.

For a sale between Delaware residents, the seller writes the buyer's name and address, date of sale, price and odometer reading in Section 1 on the back of the title, and DMV does not list a bill of sale for the transfer. DMV tells buyers not to accept a bill of sale in place of a title. If there is no bill of sale and the title shows no price, DMV bases the document fee on the NADA average trade-in value. Delaware law says the purchase price is to be shown by a notarized bill of sale (30 Del. C. § 3002(b)). An out-of-state buyer can show a bill of sale or the title to get a $20 DMV temporary tag.

Delaware doesn't publish a required list. A complete bill of sale usually has:

• The seller's and buyer's names and addresses
• Year, make, model and VIN
• Odometer reading
• Sale date and price
• An "as is" statement if there's no warranty
• Both signatures and the date

1. If you want to keep your plate, retain it at DMV before the sale. Bring the title.
2. Fill in Section 1 on the back of the title: the buyer's name and address, date of sale, purchase price and odometer reading. Sign and print your name; if the title says AND, all owners sign.
3. Give the signed title to the buyer. DMV recommends that seller and buyer complete the transfer together at a DMV office.
4. If the buyer is from out of state, remove the plate and turn it in or mail it to DMV.
5. If you do not go to DMV together, complete the Seller's Report of Sale and the back of the registration card and send them to DMV.

Section 1, the Assignment of Certificate of Title, on the back of the title. The seller enters the buyer's name and address, date of sale, purchase price and odometer reading, then signs and prints their name. With AND ownership all owners sign; with AND/OR one owner may sign. The buyer also signs Section 1 and completes the Purchaser's Application in Section 4. The title signature does not need a notary in Delaware.

Required. File Seller's Report of Sale (also the detachable bottom of newer Delaware titles). It protects you if the buyer gets tickets or tolls, or abandons the car, before retitling it.

To keep your plate, retain it at DMV before the sale by bringing the title, your driver's license, and proof of insurance if you are re-tagging. DMV's plate guide lists a $35 retention fee ($55 with a lien) and a $20 fee to take the plate out of retention, and a retained plate is held until 365 days after it expires. If you leave the plate on the vehicle, you lose it, and the buyer can transfer the title and registration for $35 (21 Del. C. § 2503(a)). If the buyer is from out of state, remove the plate and turn it in or mail it to DMV, or retain it online through DMV's Sold Out of State process.

Inspection. No inspection is required of the seller. Delaware law says the buyer registers the vehicle as a new registration with inspection, unless the seller left the plate on the vehicle; then the buyer can transfer the title and registration for $35 without a new inspection (21 Del. C. § 2503(a)). DMV says vehicles titled in Delaware for the first time usually must be inspected.

Odometer disclosure. The seller enters the mileage in the odometer section on the back of the title, and the seller and buyer sign. Disclosure is mandatory for model year 2011 and newer vehicles. It is encouraged but not mandatory for model year 2010 or older vehicles, commercial vehicles over 16,000 pounds, and non-motorized vehicles.

Sales tax. The buyer pays a motor vehicle document fee of 5.25% when titling, based on the sale price or the current NADA average trade-in value, whichever is higher. By law the fee is $8 for a price under $400 and $13.75 for $400 to $500, then rises $5.25 per $100 (30 Del. C. § 3002). DMV's FAQ lists only a $35 title fee for a Delaware-titled vehicle gifted by an immediate relative.

The buyer has 30 days to apply for a new title. The title fee is $35.

Forms used in the transfer:

• Seller's Report of Sale
• Delaware Title Sample (shows Sections 1 to 4)
• Retaining a Delaware License Plate
• Title request to lienholder (MV-35)

This is general information, not legal advice. Rules and fees change, so check with the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles if anything about your sale is unusual. Last verified October 20, 2026.

Listing it first? Good photos sell cars faster: see how to take pictures of a car to sell, and read the full guide to selling a car. Buying or selling in another state? Pick it on the bill of sale page.